News Digest — 6/24/25
Five Killed, At least 20 Wounded As Iran Fires Missile Salvo At Israel
Five people were killed, and at least 20 were wounded in Beersheba as missile launches from Iran caused sirens to sound across Israel at least six times in the space of over an hour.
At least two of the wounded were rushed to Soroka Medical Center in moderate condition, with six being lightly wounded, Magen David Adom (MDA) reported.
MDA said that a majority of the injuries were cuts, wounds to limbs, and symptoms of anxiety.
Three people sheltering on the fourth floor of a building were rescued from the rubble in Beersheba, MDA said. KAN News reported that a seven-story apartment building sustained damage from the missile attack.
Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority stated that only one person was listed as missing, and the search for that one is currently ongoing. “We emphasize again – do not enter the scene! The arrival of civilians endangers public safety and makes it difficult for rescue forces to operate.”
Fire and Rescue Services said that shrapnel fell at Ben Gurion Airport.
In the North, MDA said that it had dispatched first responders to the scene of reported damage from missile shrapnel in the northern Sharon region. At least one person, a 15-year-old teen, was reportedly wounded in the Hadera area.
Iran continued to launch missiles into northern Israel past 7a.m. local time, when the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump was intended to take effect.
Iranian state media network SNN reported that Tehran was observing the ceasefire at around 7: 20 a.m., after four waves of missiles to Israel.
Symbol Of Regime Oppression: What Is The Evin Prison?
The IDF struck the gates of the infamous Evin Prison in Tehran on Monday (23rd), along with additional targets associated with Iranian oppression, including the headquarters of the Basij internal security paramilitary force.
The Evin Prison was opened in the 1970s by the SAVAK, (secret police), and since 1979 has been seen as the symbol of revolutionary Iran’s oppression against political and diplomatic prisoners. It is known for its brutality and torture methods.
According to human rights groups, among the methods used in the prison are electric shocks, sleep deprivation, refusal of medical treatment, solitary confinement, and the recording of confessions under psychological and physical duress, Wing 209 of the prison is operated directly by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry and is considered the harshest.
In 2022, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch recorded testimonies of women who were held in the prison and were subjected to harassment, long periods of isolation, humiliation and rape. Other reports described executions.
Footage posted to social media and news sites shows the damage to the prison’s entrance. Israeli officials explained that the strike was meant to allow political prisoners to flee.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the strike on Monday (23rd), saying: “We warned Iran time and again. Stop targeting civilians! They continued, including this morning. Our response “Long live liberty.”!
Also, Defense MInister Israel Katz announced on Monday (23rd) that the IDF successfully targeted the so-called “Israel Doomsday Clock” that included a digital countdown toward Israel’s destruction.
The digital countdown clock was unveiled by demonstrators in 2017, during a rally marking the last Friday of the Holy Month of Ramadan, called “Jerusalem Day,” instituted by the founder of the ayatollah regime, Ruhollah Khomeini as a rallying cry to defeat Israel. It showed a fist with the colors of the Palestinian flag punching through an Israeli flag. The countdown, which was just over 8411 days when installed, appeared next to the caption: “Left before destruction of Israel.”
Following the directive of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Israel Katz, the IDF is currently striking regime targets and oppressive government institutions in the heart of Tehran with unprecedented force.” Katz said, adding that the central command of the internal security agency, Basij – which has cracked down on Iranians for decades and repressed their freedom – was targeted as well. He also said the internal security headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the ideology headquarters, and additional regime targets were destroyed.
Herzog Visits Shamir Underground Emergency Hospital
President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and his wife Michal paid a visit Monday (23rd) to Shamir Medical Center, which is currently operating under emergency protocols.
Welcomed by Dr. Osnat Levtzion-Korach, CEO of the Medical Center, the President and First Lady toured the state-of-the-art underground emergency hospital and the fortified maternity ward, which was converted from the hospital’s fitness center in response to the ongoing security threats.
During the visit, the President and his delegation met with wounded patients from recent rocket barrages, spoke with medical staff about the pressures of operating under fire, and observed the hospital’s fortified surgical theaters now running at full capacity due to wartime conditions.
“I am proud to return to Shamir Medical Center, one of Israel’s leading hospitals, both nationally and internationally,” said President Herzog. “I was deeply impressed by the emergency preparedness, the professionalism and devotion of the medical teams, and the swift and effective rehabilitation of the underground facility led by Dr. Osnat Levtzion-Korach.”
“Visiting the fortified maternity ward, and meeting the brave new mothers and their families – beacons of hope in the shadow of war – was a moving testament to the resilience of Israeli society.”
Michal Herzog emphasized the humanity and compassion shown throughout the facility. “Your care for both patients and caregivers, and your commitment to their protection, is truly heartwarming. We visited this center on the second day of the Swords of Iron war – and once again , we are witnessing your sacred work under incredibly difficult conditions.”
Dr. Levtzion- Korach thanked the President and Mrs. Herzog for their meaningful visit and expressed hope for a swift return to peace and normalcy.
“Unfortunately, in the medical world one always has to be ready for the worst case scenario,” said Dr; Levtzion-Korach. This goes for treatment as well as emergency preparedness, and thankfully our staff here ensured that the hospital and its around-the-clock care did not stop for a minute, even if it meant to recreate a fully functioning hospital in what was an underground parking lot just hours before.”
Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi Outlines Vision For A Post-Regime Iran
In a recent speech in Paris, Reza Pahlavi , son of Iran’s last Shah, urged Iranians to unite and peacefully end the Islamic Republic. He called it an historic moment, saying, “This is our Berlin Wall moment. The regime’s foundations are cracking.”
Addressing reporters and the Iranian diaspora, Pahlavi said, “the regime is losing support from within, and people across the country are ready for change.” He presented a “National Salvation Plan” to guide Iran’s peaceful transition to democracy, built on national unity, individual rights and the separation of religion and state.
He also introduced the “Iranian Prosperity Project,” a post-regime recovery plan in three phases: emergency aid, stabilization and rebuilding, with help from experts in Iran and abroad.
Pahlavi emphasized that the real battle is not with foreign powers, but within. “This is not a war imposed from the outside. This is the regime’s war against the nation.”
He said some members of Iran’s police, military and government are now in contact with his team and are ready to join the people. “If you join the people now, you will be remembered for your courage,” he said. “Iran will not forget you,”
To foreign governments, he urged moral and diplomatic support, saying, “The mission to bring change belongs to the Iranians. But others must stop propping up the regime.”
Pahlavi ended with a message to Iranians: “You are not alone. Millions stand with you. This is your moment – but we will walk it together.”
He also called on Iranians around the world to come together in support of this vision. A national summit, he said, would bring voices from across the political spectrum to help shape Iran’s future.
“This is not about ideology,” he said. “It’s about rebuilding a nation – for everyone.”
Israel Has Become A Nation Of Heroes Doing The West’s Dirty Work For Us – Allister Heath
Iran is one of our bitter enemies: Its spies and propagandists operate in the UK. It has kidnapped and threatened our citizens and it despises us as one of two “Little Satans” (the other is Israel) to America’s Big Satan. We should be thanking Jerusalem for taking care of the Mullahs and the IRGC on our behalf.
Everything has suddenly changed in the Middle East. The good guys are winning a key battle in the great global conflict. Israel and America are reestablishing Western deterrence following the debacle of the retreat from Afghanistan. They are well on their way to preempting a nuclear apocalypse. Iran’s defenestration amounts to a rare, yet highly important, victory in the fight against atomic proliferation.
It is hard to exaggerate the outsized role that Israel is now playing, and how much it is aiding an ungrateful and ethically compromised Europe. By necessity and out of self-interest, it has become the West’s praetorian guard, a nation of heroes dedicated to doing our dirty work for us.
A tiny country the size of Wales, its population barely larger than London’s, Israel is annihilating – from 1,000 miles away – an oil-rich regional superpower that is nine times more populous and boasts a 75 times larger land area, while waging a conflict on seven fronts.
The Jewish state has demonstrated a level of military and strategic brilliance over the past year last witnessed from a Western nation in the Second World War. Israel’s fightback since Oct. 7 has been astonishing, and is helping to undo the narrative of Western decline.
The forces of Islamism are in historic retreat: Israel’s destruction of the Iranian proxy system is an even greater victory for Western civilization than the ending of al-Qaeda and Islamic State. With the West being rescued from its own stupidity, perhaps now is the time to allow ourselves a fleeting moment of optimism.
The writer is editor of the Sunday Telegraph – UK
Israel’s Stocks Are Soaring With Iran War – David Wainer
Iranian ballistic missiles are falling in Tel Aviv and Haifa. Israel’s main airport is shut. Much of the workforce is moving in and out of bomb shelters. Yet Israeli markets are buoyant, outperforming the world. Israeli stocks have been posting solid gains.
Partly this can be explained by the familiarity of local investors with war. But markets are also signaling renewed confidence in Israel’s position and strategy – and Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear sites has only strengthened that perception.
Despite mass mobilization of reservists and fighting on several fronts, Israel’s economy has remained remarkably resilient since the Gaza war began nearly two years ago. The economy is still growing, and employment remains near multidecade lows of around 3%.
It appears investors are betting that Israel’s strikes on Iran will deal a crippling, if not decisive, blow to Tehran’s regional axis. Israel’s military actions have reduced what investors call its risk premium, or the amount that geopolitical risks are priced into its assets. That could pave the way for more foreign investment once the dust settles, says Rafael Gozlan, chief economist at IBI Investment House in Tel Aviv. (Wall Street Journal)
(wsj.com)
